Camber Property Group has onboarded a new general counsel for its affordable housing and community development transactions, Commercial Observer has learned.

James Allen has decamped from real estate law firm Hirschen Singer & Epstein and started the new role this week assisting Camber with affordable housing projects in New York state and the New York tri-state region, according to the development firm.

“One trend I am seeing is that, in their efforts to solve the ongoing housing affordability crisis, more developers are starting to expand both the types of projects that they participate in and their geographic footprint,” Allen said in a statement. “Camber is always thinking creatively about both, but they present unique challenges.”

Allen was previously an associate for four years at Nixon Peabody and a senior staff attorney for the New York Court of Appeals. The Brooklyn Law School graduate also pens articles about housing equity and affordability while serving on the board of the New York Housing Conference’s Rising Leaders Network and the New York City Bar Association’s Housing & Urban Development Committee.

Hirschen Singer & Epstein did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“I feel lucky to have the chance to expand upon that and work with many of the legal partners that I have learned from over the years, while Camber solidifies its New York presence and intentionally expands its footprint to other regions,” Allen said.

Mark Hallum can be reached at mhallum@commercialobserver.com.